News

President Anura Kumara Disanayake paid a visit to 20th “Build SL Housing and Construction International Exhibition” organized by the Chamber of Construction Industry of Sri Lanka (CCI), this morning (31).

The Build SL Housing and Construction Exhibition, the premier exhibition of the construction industry in Sri Lanka, commenced yesterday (30) at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre of BMICH in Colombo and will conclude tomorrow (01).

This exhibition features almost 280 product display stalls and it will provide a platform to the construction industry stakeholders to foster relationships, discover business opportunities and gain insights into innovative designs and advanced technologies.

This year, more than 30,000 attendees are expected at the exhibition, providing consumers opportunity to purchase products and services from various international vendors. This year’s exhibition features a diverse selection of eco-friendly building materials that are recognized internationally.

President Anura Kumara Disanayake also toured the exhibition stalls and engaged in discussions with exhibitors and also engaged in cordial discussions with the attendees. (PMD)

Venerable Bandarawela Amithananda Thera, a respected Buddhist monk, recognised for his impactful sermons on television and radio, has passed away at the age of 62.

The Thera became a household name among Sri Lankan Buddhists, widely admired for his eloquent preaching and efforts to bring Dhamma teachings to the public. His sermons resonated with devotees across the country, contributing significantly to the revival of Buddhist discourse in modern media.

He had been battling an illness for some time and was receiving long-term care. The Thero passed away this afternoon (May 29) while undergoing treatment at the Colombo National Hospital.

Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.

Opal Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand has been crowned Miss World 2025, marking a historic first win for Thailand in the prestigious international pageant. The coronation took place on 31 May 2025 at the HITEX Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad, India, where she was crowned by her predecessor, Krystyna Pyszková of the Czech Republic

The Colombo High Court on Thursday (29) sentenced former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage to 20 years and former Sathosa Chairman and former Trade Minister Nalin Fernando to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment.

The court found both men guilty of causing significant losses to the state through the irregular purchase of thousands of Carrom and checkers boards in the lead-up to the 2015 Presidential Election.

The two were convicted of abusing their official powers by authorizing the procurement of 14,000 Carrom boards and 11,000 checkers boards through Sathosa, the state-owned retail giant, for distribution to sports clubs.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), which led the prosecution, argued that the purchases were politically motivated and conducted in clear violation of procurement procedures.

Presenting final submissions before the verdict was delivered, the Commission’s counsel stated that the defendants had engaged in deliberate misuse of public authority, resulting in a financial loss exceeding Rs. 53 million in taxpayer funds.

The case was initially filed by CIABOC in 2019 before the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar, a special tribunal reserved for high-profile cases involving financial crimes and abuse of public office.

The verdict is being viewed as a significant development in Sri Lanka’s anti-corruption efforts, as it marks one of the most severe sentences handed down to high-ranking political figures in recent years.

pix by - wasitha patabedige

The Ministry of Defence says that President has allocated Rs. 1 Billion to support initial compensation efforts for homes damaged by recent strong winds.

According to K.G. Dharmathilaka, Additional Secretary of the Disaster Management Division, compensation of up to Rs. 2.5 million will be granted for homes that are completely destroyed, while partial damages will be compensated based on the severity of the destruction.

In addition, the government will provide Rs. 1 million in compensation for each person who dies as a result of the disaster.

The same amount will be granted to those who suffer permanent disabilities due to the adverse weather conditions.

A high-level discussion was held at the Presidential Secretariat between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Chairpersons of District Coordination Committees, and senior officials from the Ministry of Finance to gather proposals and insights for the upcoming Budget 2026.

During the meeting, President Dissanayake stressed the importance of prioritizing the basic and urgent needs of the people at the district level in the budget planning process.

He emphasized that the budget must reflect the real and immediate concerns of communities across the country.

Extensive discussions were held on the development projects currently underway across various districts.

The dialogue focused on identifying essential infrastructure requirements and other critical development needs, and ensuring their implementation through the forthcoming budget allocations.

Former National Lotteries Board Director, Thusitha Halloluwa, has been remanded until 02 June over the alleged misuse of state property.

He was remanded by the Fort Magistrate’s Court today over investigations into a case filed in this regard at the court.

Halloluwa was previously arrested and released on bail on May 02 over the alleged misuse of a computer and a mobile phone valued at over Rs. 470,000 during his tenure as the Acting Director of the National Lotteries Board.

However, it is unclear whether he has been remanded today over the same case.

Meanwhile, Police investigations are also underway into a shooting that targeted Halloluwa and his lawyer in the Narahenpita area this month.

Six persons have been arrested and remanded so far in connection with the incident.

A discussion on the challenges facing Sri Lanka’s export industry was held this morning (28) at the Presidential Secretariat, under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Disanayake.

The meeting brought together heads of institutions under the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, as well as officials from the Ministry of Finance and Planning.

The discussion centred on the government’s strategic approach to strengthening domestic production and transitioning towards an export-oriented economy. Particular attention was paid to formulating a long-term industrial development plan to address and overcome current challenges in the export sector.

Key areas of discussion included identifying the necessary steps to enhance the export sector and the presentation of relevant proposals and plans to the President.

Secretary to the Ministry of Health Dr. Anil Jasinghe says although there is no need for the general public to panic at present, he cannot rule out new COVID-19 variants from entering the country.

Dr. Anil Jasinghe, while acknowledging the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases detected globally, noted that Sri Lanka will increase the number of PCR tests being conducted to identify the extent of the spread.

Speaking during a media briefing, Dr. Jasinghe said a special discussion was held with the participation of officials of the Epidemiology Unit and several other divisions to devise a plan to face any future epidemics.

He confirmed the number of PCR tests conducted at the Medical Research Institute, Kandy National Hospital and the Galle National Hospital will be increased.

Dr. Anil Jasinghe said NB.1.8.1 and LF.7, sub-lineages of the JN.1 COVID-19 variant are spreading across many Asia countries including India.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Health stated that the World Health Organization (WHO) has also classified NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 subvariants as variants under monitoring.

Dr. Anil Jasinghe added that health authorities are monitoring the situation and are prepared to take necessary actions based on developments.

He also said anyone having COVID symptoms such as fever, cough, chills and sore throat should wear a mask to prevent the spread.

The Cabinet has granted approval to recruit 15,073 individuals to fill existing vacancies across various sectors of the public service, according to Cabinet Spokesperson and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa.

The decision includes a significant intake in the education sector, with:

- 129 teachers to be recruited directly under the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Training, and 

- 3,661 teachers for the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Education Ministry, 
bringing the total number of new teaching appointments to nearly 6,000.

"It has been recommended recruitment for 15,073 vacant posts in 02 special expenditure units under 18 line ministers and 04 provincial councils according to two (02) reports furnished by the officials’ committee," said the document shared by the Department of Government Information.

This large-scale recruitment drive follows recommendations made by a special committee appointed under the leadership of the Secretary to the Prime Minister, tasked with reviewing the public sector hiring process.

General Secretary of the United National Party Young Professionals Organisation (Colombo Chapter), Attorney Delan De Silva, has publicly condemned the recent government decision to bar civilian students from entering the Medical Faculty of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU).

In a statement shared on ‘X’, De Silva called the move “a betrayal of our youth” and “a death blow to free education”, adding that it was not a policy, but sabotage.

“Sri Lanka is short by over 15,000 doctors. Each year, nearly 800 students leave to study medicine abroad, draining $700–800 million in foreign exchange. Meanwhile, the Rs. 35 billion teaching hospital at KDU—built with taxpayer funds—is now off-limits to Sri Lankan civilians?” he questioned.

De Silva emphasised that the move deepens the country’s healthcare crisis and erodes public access to state-funded education.

“A university funded by the public cannot become a gated institution for the privileged few. If we are serious about healthcare and equity, this decision must be reversed immediately,” he further urged.

News reports on the government’s decision, which have begun gaining traction online, are being widely shared by legal professionals, educators, and youth activists concerned about the militarisation of education and its implications for public policy.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has filed an indictment against former minister Mervyn Silva.

The indictment has been filed over charges that he committed an offence under the Bribery Act, by the acquisition of assets, including properties and vehicles, and maintaining bank accounts exceeding his declared lawful income.

The Bribery Commission states that former minister Mervyn Silva had committed this offence between March 31, 2010 and March 31, 2012.

The Bribery Commission states the former minister had spent Rs. 13.9 million to purchase land in the Kadawatha area and Rs. 71.3 million to purchase land at Sir Ernest de Silva Mawatha in Colombo-07.

In addition, he has spent Rs. 32.375 million to purchase a Mercedes Benz for his son Malaka Silva, over Rs. 5.5 million to buy a Hyundai vehicle and Rs. 8.85 million to buy a Defender.

As such, the Bribery Commission has filed a case consisting of two charges against former minister Mervyn Silva, alleging that he committed an offence under the Bribery Act by acquiring property beyond his legal income.